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posted by Fnord666 on Thursday August 22 2019, @06:27AM   Printer-friendly
from the does-this-taste-plasticky-to-you? dept.

Microplastics in water not harmful to humans, says WHO report

Microplastics are increasingly found in drinking water, but there is no evidence so far that this poses a risk to humans, according to a new assessment by the World Health Organization.

However, the United Nations body warned against complacency because more research is needed to fully understand how plastic spreads into the environment and works its way through human bodies.

There is no universally agreed definition of microplastics but they are generally considered to be smaller than half a millimetre across.

Plastic production has grown exponentially in recent decades and is predicted to double again by 2025, said the report, which means more beads and threads are breaking down into minute particles and winding up in water supplies, pipes, cups, throats and bellies. Studies suggest bottled drinking water even contains minuscule elements of the polymers used in the container and cap.

Also at CNN.

Related: Car Tyres Cause 55% of Microplastic Waste, According to Study
Paper on Microplastic's Harm to Fish Will Likely be Retracted
Microplastics Found in 90 Percent of Table Salt


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  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by khallow on Thursday August 22 2019, @12:30PM (2 children)

    by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday August 22 2019, @12:30PM (#883578) Journal
    A lot of stuff is nasty once it gets to the bloodstream. But you need a mechanism by which this microplastic can get to the bloodstream, and another by which it can be in great enough concentrations to be the sort of problem you claim it can be.
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  • (Score: 4, Touché) by JoeMerchant on Thursday August 22 2019, @01:12PM (1 child)

    by JoeMerchant (3937) on Thursday August 22 2019, @01:12PM (#883592)

    For once, I'm with AC on this...

    Their track record..

    1950: Five out of six doctors prefer Lucky Strike cigarettes
    1960: Take thalidomode for morning sickness
    1970: Paint your baby's cradle with lead-based paint... tastes great!

    I'll avoid their recommendation to drink microplastics until all the results are in.

    I know, I know, your father smoked Lucky Strikes and doesn't have lung cancer yet, your mother took thalidomide and it fixed her morning sickness right up, not only did your cradle have lead based paint but you also breathed it in the air (as we all did) in the 1970s from the gasoline additives, and look how great you turned out!

    --
    🌻🌻 [google.com]
    • (Score: 1) by khallow on Thursday August 22 2019, @11:36PM

      by khallow (3766) Subscriber Badge on Thursday August 22 2019, @11:36PM (#883845) Journal
      Funny how that's completely irrelevant to the story, isn't it?

      I'm with FatPhil [soylentnews.org] on this one.